Bath device having a nonskid floor surface



Sept. 19, 1950 c, SANDBERG 2,522,765

BATH DEVICE HAVING A NONSKID FLOOR SURFACE Filed Jan. 29, 1947 Patented Sept. 19, 1950 BATH DEVICE HAVING A NONSKID FLOOR SURFACE Albert 0. sanabeig, La Fayette, Ind.

Application January 29, 1947, Serial No. 724,973

6 Claims.

My invention relates to the production of a I non-skid surface on the bottoms of bath tubs, on the floors of shower baths, and on other sloping surfaces which are contacted by the bare human foot when wet. For simplicity of description, I shall describe my invention hereinafter as embodied in a bath tub; but it is to be understood that the invention has applications elsewhere than in a bath tub.

M It is the object of my invention to provide in a bath tub at bottom surface so formed as to reduce greatly the possibility of Slipping. Another object of my invention is to provide on the bottom of a bath tub a multiplicity of bosses which will be so shaped and arranged as to create a minimum of interference with drainage of water from the tub. Still another object of my invention is to provide on the bottom of a bath tub a multiplicity of bosses which, while effective to prevent slipping, will not result in discomfort to a user of the tub.

In carrying out my invention, I form on the tub bottom a multiplicity of bosses of definite shape and arranged in a definite pattern with respect to each other and to the direction of Waterflow over the bottom of the tub as it is emptied. The bosses, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, are generally oval in plan, but with one end larger than the other, the length of the ovals being approximately twice or somewhat more than twice their maximum width. The sides of the ovals are differently shaped, one side being relatively straight while the other is relatively curved. The bosses are arranged on the tub-bottom in longitudinal and transverse rows, the longitudinal rows being substantially parallel to the center-line of the tub and the transverse rows coinciding approximately with the contour lines of the tub-bottom. The bosses are individually oriented with their major axis at an angle of approximately 45 to the longitudinal center-line of the tub and with their smaller ends and straighter edges on their upstream sides.

The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention: Fig. 1 is a plan view and Fig. 2 a side elevation of a bath tub of common form in which my invention has been embodied; Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through the tub shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmental plan view of the tub-bottom on an enlarged scale; and Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmental vertical sections on lines 5-5 and 6-6, respectively, of Fig. 4.

The bath tub I!) shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is of common form, the bottom I l of the tub sloping transversely toward the longitudinal center-line and sloping longitudinally toward a waste-opening [2 at one end of the tub The non-skid surface of the tub-bottom II is provided by a multiplicity of bosses each designated in its entirety by the reference numeral I5, such bosses being of a definite form and arranged in a definite manner, both to be hereinafter described.

As will be clear from Fig. 4, each of the bosses I5 is of generally ovoid plan, having a relatively large end I6 and a relatively small end ll. One side of each boss, designated by the reference numeral I8, is relatively straight, while the opposite side, designated by the reference numeral I9, is relatively curved. The maximum width of each boss is approximately half or slightly less than half the maximum length. The end edges I6 and I1 and the side edges I8 and I9 join each other smoothly. As will be clear from Figs. 5 and 6, the upper surfaces of the bosses l5 are smoothly and convexly curved.

The bosses I 5 are of such a size and are so spaced that several of them will necessarily be engaged by each foot of an individual standing on the tub-bottom. While the size of the bosses may vary considerably, I prefer to make each boss with a maximum length of approximately 1% inches, a width of approximately inch, and a height above the tub-bottom of approximately inch. Smaller bosses tend to result in discomfort if made adequate in height to provide an eifective non-skid surface, and materially larger bosses are relatively ineffective to prevent slipping.

The bosses l5 are desirably arranged on the tub-bottom in the manner indicated in Fig. 4, from which it will be apparent that the bosses are disposed in rows (indicated by the chain lines A) extending generally parallel to the longitudinal center-line of the tub and in transverse rows (indicated by the chain lines B) coincidin approximately with the contour lines of the tubbottom. In the preferred arrangement, the bosses also form diagonal rows (indicated by the chain lines C) extending at an angle of approximately 45 to the longitudinal center-line of the tubbottom.

On each side of the longitudinal center-line of the tub-bottom, the bosses l5 are desirably of substantially the same shape and are similarly oriented. Thus, as shown in Fig. 4, the major axis of each boss is disposed at an angle of approximately 45 with the longitudinal centerline of the tub, and the larger ends it and curved sides It! are directed generally toward the wastethe latter approximately coinciding with contour" lines, promotes free drainage of water from the tub-bottom to the waste-opening l2 when the tub is emptied.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a non-skid surface for the slopingbottom of a bath tub, the floor of a shower bath,

or the like, a multiplicity of spaced ovoid bosses having upwardly presented convex surfaces, said bosses being oriented with their larger end's 'lo'wer on-the sloping surface than their smaller ends;

2.- The invention set-forth in claim-1 with the addition that said bosses are oriented obliquely with respect to the slope of the sloping surface, the higher side edge of each boss being materially straighter than the lower side edge; said bosses being arranged intransverserows extending generally along contour lines of thesloping' surface;

3. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition that said bosses are oriented obliquely with respect to the slope of the sloping surface, the higher side edge of each boss being materially straighter than the lower side edge.

4. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition that said bosses are arranged in transverse rows extending generally along contour lines of the sloping surface.

5. Theinvention set forth in claim 1 with the addition that the length of each boss is at least twice its width, the height of each boss being less than 1 one-half its width.

6'. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition that the length of each boss is at least 'twic'eits width.

ALBERT C. SANDBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record? in" th file of this patent:

UNITED STATES- PATENTS Number Name Date D. 82,857 Steele Dec. 16', 1930 2,084,852 Lo'chman June 22; 19357 2,292,368 Gordon Aug. 11, 1942 2,396,845 Gruen Mar: 19,1946 

